"My life may not be going the way I planned, but it's going the way God planned it"

[Zapp Brannigan]

Thats why Hemingway called religion the opiate of the masses. Its a drug:

God can justify your nasty behavior. "Ill have my sins forgiven on sunday"

God can be there when you're lonely. "Well, at least I know God is watching out for me"

God can help you connect with people who would otherwise having nothing to do w/ ya a$$: "well at least he DOES go to church"

It can help you rationalize an awful life. "Well, at least I know Im going to heaven once I leave this earth"

It can help you explain tragedies: "I know a million kids were burned alive. Dont question it. Its Gods will"

But probably most importantly, with the way modern religion is practiced, it allows complete douchebag sociopaths to claim moral superiority over other people, just be virtue of invoking his name and tying it to their existence. Being "a believer" is the ultimate shortcut to being a good person.
@DaygoTaco

"Well, as a Christian..."

I always find it that much more perverse when I see the prevalence of Catholicism in the Mexican community or Christianity in the black community. All I see are the fermented, systematic leftovers of a brainwashing system set up to get them to make themselves feel like shyt and remind them to thank white men for "saving" them from a looming threat that never has and never will exist.

 

[Jahmal]

Religion was made for the rich people to control the poor people.